South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
According to the results of a new study, mental stress at work may increase your risk of suffering a stroke.
The results indicate that among middle class and upper class men, those who experienced psychological stress at work were about 1.4 times more likely to have a stroke than those not experiencing psychological stress on the job.
Researchers said this means that overall, about 10 percent of strokes in this group can be attributed to work stress.
The participants answered surveys which included questions about their level of physical fitness and how often and much they drank and smoked. They were excluded from the study if they had a history of family heart disease or a heart attack.
The study was published in this month’s Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The findings are based on information from about 5,000 men ages 40 to 59 living in Copenhagen, whom researchers surveyed in 1970 to 1971 and followed for 30 years. During the study period, 779 men suffered a stroke, and 167 died from one.
Among men in the three highest classes, the risk of stroke increased 38 percent among those who said they endure stress at work regularly, compared with those who reported it they experience it rarely. The risk was most significant for younger men, likely because these men were exposed to work stress for a longer period of time.
LOWERING STROKE RISK
There are ways to lower the risk of stroke, according to the American Stroke Association.
These include:
• Not smoking
• Maintaining low cholesterol
• Monitoring blood pressure
• Maintaining a healthy diet with five or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day
• Aiming for at least 30 minutes exercise every day
• Reducing alcohol intake
• Avoiding illegal drugs
Warning Signs that you may be suffering a stroke include:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg especially on one side of the body;
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding;
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination;
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
If you experience any of these symptoms, your response time is critical. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
By: Pete Strom, South Carolina Injury Lawyer